He drums his fingers on the steering wheel, his gaze not meeting mine. “So you’re between gigs, then?”
Of course. He’s not jealous of me spending time with models. He’s concerned I’m going to ghost on him. Probably why he’s so insistent on giving me rides. “If you’re worried about the two grand to fix Iron Maiden, I’m good for it. I can get you the cash now.” Sure. It’ll drain my entire savings and I will have to resort to a strictly ramen diet to make rent next month, but I knew I’d have to shell out money for the repairs soon.
“Rachel.” He grinds his teeth and flashes me a glare. “Stop.”
“What?”
He opens his mouth as if to say something, but shakes his head in the negative. “The mechanic doesn’t need the money until you pick up the car. I trust you won’t screw me over. Or abandon that old car you seem to love, though I don’t understand why.” He chuckles. “Besides, I know where you live.”
I roll my eyes, but his teasing brings a grin to my lips. “You’re going to miss hauling my ass all over LA, that’s it, then?”
He grins back, his smile growing wider. “You have no idea.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
“If anything changes, you’ll text me?”
“Sure.” I reach for the door again.
He reaches out, brushing my bare arm with a surprisingly gentle touch. “Promise me, Rachel.”
“Fine.” I draw out the word as if it pains me to relent, but the truth is this is a deal I have no problem agreeing to. It’s not as if I’ll get a call out of the blue between now and next week. I meet his gaze. “I promise.”
He smiles, too pleased with himself and sporting an I just won grin. He hops out and helps me unload my makeup.
“Later, Jude.” I lift my hand in a wave, determined to walk away before he offers to see me to the door. Behind me I hear him mutter something that sounds a lot like, “Sooner than you think, beautiful.”
God, if Jude turns out to be some stalker psycho, I am going to lose my shit. First Iron Maiden, now my lack of work. I can’t take another hit. I stick my key in the door and glance over my shoulder. Sure enough, he’s staring. Only, he doesn’t give off creepy vibes. No, the look in his eyes is one of unapologetic interest. The focus of his gaze is on my lower half. Yeah, he’s checking out my ass.
I’ve still got it. I sway my hips with an extra dose of confidence as I push into the apartment and lock the door. Music assaults my ears, along with the clatter of dishes.
“Hey, Rae!” Jenni pops her head beneath the upper cabinets that separate our small kitchen from the living area. She shimmies her hips and wields a big spoon in the other.
“Hey.” Is that pasta? The aroma of cooked tomatoes and spices fills my nostrils and my stomach grumbles. “You look happy.”
“I got the part!”
“That’s fantastic!” I don’t remember what role, because let’s face it, she goes on dozens of auditions, but I know from my own experience how exciting it is to get selected over others when it’s something you want so badly. “Congrats!”
“Thanks! I can’t wipe this smile off my face. You missed the happy dance and screaming.” She points her spoon at a boiling pot. “You hungry? I made too much.”
“I’d love some. Smells good.”
“Steady work for the next two weeks calls for celebration. It’ll be done in fifteen.” She turns back to the stove.
I pass by on my way to my bedroom, noting the usual absence of bodies. “Where’s everyone else?”
“Working, I think.”
I roll my traveling makeup cart into my corner of the bedroom, then ditch my clothes for cotton shorts and an old T-shirt. My phone is low on battery, so I plug it into my charger before heading back to the kitchen.
Jenni dishes out two plates of pasta and my mouth waters at the sight. She nods to the barstools and I join her after filling my water.
“Oh, my God.” The first bite hits my taste buds with a burst of pleasure. I don’t stop chewing as I turn to Jenni and convey my appreciation. “You made this? It’s so good.”
She twists noodles around her fork with a smile. “Yeah? Not bad, right? My grandma taught me. I can make, like, this and two other things.”
“I would eat this every day.”
She laughs and nods. “Right? If I could get away with the carbs, this is all I’d ever want. But I felt like celebrating.” Jenni is a stick. Her figure is that of actual movie stars, which does not come easy. I’ve seen the extreme diet and exercise most of my roommates abide by. No, thank you. I’ll happily take my curves and carbs.
I swallow another bite, then force myself to slow down to make the meal last longer. “Tell me about the role.”
“It’s a cheesy teen romance mini-series and I’m the mean girl!” Jenni turns her chair and flips her hair over one shoulder with a contagious smile. “I have lines. Plural. It’s being produced by Terrance Underwood. And the best part? They need me on set for an entire month. I’ve never been more excited to be a raging bitch.”
“That’s amazing.”
“And if it gets picked up for another season?” She laughs, shaking her head. “God! I can’t even start to think what that could mean for my career. I’ve literally been waiting for something like this. Some kind of reassurance I’m not wasting my life on a stupid dream, you know?”
I swallow down my last bite of pasta. Yeah. I know exactly what she means. Only, this woman before me is twenty-two with her entire future ahead of her, with years to figure things out. She has time to give. I’m almost thirty without a home, job, or working vehicle. Am I wasting my time?
